WWC2010: FINLAND TAKES BRONZE

Category: World Championship - published 2010-07-03 by IFAF

Finland won the Bronze Medal at the inaugural IFAF Women's World Championship with a 26-18 win over a valiant Germany team that came within yards of overturning a 26-point deficit to almost send the game into overtime.
Finland running back Merita Bruun of the Helsinki Roosters again won MVP honors for her two trips to the end zone and a dominant rushing display that opened an early advantage.
On a good day for Scandinavia, Sweden took fifth place earlier in the day with a dramatic 20-18 victory over Austria.
Finland took an early lead having forced Germany to punt away the game's opening possession. Backed up at the eight-yard mark, Laura Haapaniemi nudged the chains two yards further forward and then a 90-yard touchdown pass from Jenni Wahlberg to Merita Bruun, earned Finland an instant 6-0 advantage. Wahlberg found Tiina Salo on the two-point conversion play to open up an eight-point lead.
Germany relied on the rushing of Scott to steadily move downfield in reply as she gained five short-yardage first downs, but a pass thrown behind the receiver on third forced another Germany punt. Duvinage took a fake punt up the middle but agonizingly fell a yard short and Finland took over possession from their own 33.
Bruun's hard running gained ground for the Finns and then Wahlberg avoided a couple German defenders on the bootleg for Finland's second touchdown of the first quarter. Bruun was tackled short on the two-point try, leaving Finland 14-0 ahead with 1:16 left in the first quarter.
Germany added to their own woes by throwing an interception and Finland scored quickly in reply to make it 20-0. A German punt on the next possession again stifled by the Finland defense was followed by a first play, 76-yard touchdown run by Bruun, earning Finland a convincing 26-point advantage with 3:45 still remaining in the first half.
Germany's Duvinage missed a 30-yard field goal attempt with seconds left on the clock after she had dropped a third down pass in the end zone.
With Bathseba Buczylowski is in at quarterback for Germany to open the second half, Scott's rushing continued to gain ground, taking the ball to Finland's 35-yard line. Within striking distance of the red zone at the 22, a Sonja Meurer reception and quarterback sneak edged Germany closer to opening their scoring account.
Scott capped the German drive with a touchdown run on third down, but was halted on the two-point attempt to trail 26-6 following an impressive 15-play scoring drive.
The third quarter ended with Germany seeking to overturn a 20-point deficit and MVP of their opening game win Susanne Erdmann of the Berlin Kobras Ladies relieving Scott in the backfield.
Three consecutive Erdmann carries moved Germany rapidly downfield and her hard work was rewarded when she was given the ball again to take a nine-yard carry to the end zone for a touchdown. A fake extra point attempt fell short, leaving Germany trailing 26-12 with ten minutes to play.
German's defense halted Finland in reply to put their offense back on the field and Christianne Muller with a great catch and Meurer with a six-yard reception catch from Buczylowski ate up yardage. The handoff to Erdmann saw her race 43 yards for another Germany touchdown, but a missed extra point left her nation still chasing the game and effectively still two scores behind at 26-18 with 2:16 remaining.
The defense again kept Germany in the game, stopping a fourth and inches quarterback keeper attempt, but with little time remaining to force overtime.
A pass interference call gave Germany a first and 10 from Finland's 29-yard mark, Duvinage connected with Beastoch for a seven-yard gain and with 43 seconds left Germany were knocking on the door. But Erdmann was stopped on a third down draw then on fourth and seven the decisive pass fell incomplete allowing Finland's offense to take a knee and with it the bronze medal.